Nostalgic Review: The Terminator Franchise

For people who grew up in the 80's, The Terminator franchise was an integral part of your upbringing.

Director James Cameron began with a vision of a cyborg chasing a human with a knife in its hand. Then with the help of his writing team, his vision became something that I don't think he could have imagined.
It is also of course the franchise that made Arnold Schwarzenegger the star that he is today. From his famous "I'll be back" line, Arnie became a global titan.

It became one of the biggest franchises. Sadly, it has lost steam since it's iconic second feature. I personally it will never get back to what it used to be. But I am always interested in another addition to this franchise.

Below are my reviews of each feature:

The Terminator - The one that started it all. James Cameron's vision comes alive in this sci-fi action blockbuster with a mix of horror slasher.

With great intensity, beautifully made action and a simple premise, this film is so much fun.

Rating: 9/10

Terminator 2: Judgment Day - One of the most memorable sequels to be superior from the original.
Arnie is back and there is a new target for The Terminator.

Everything raised its game and we have a movie that blew everyone away. It still easily stands the test of time.

Rating: 9/10

Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines - Without Cameron directing, this was obviously going to be a disappointment. It was actually a solid effort, with a surprising amount of comedy that just about holds it together.

It does have that certain charm that makes it watchable, and it has a pretty impressive action set-piece.

Rating: 7/10

Terminator Salvation - Many people's weakest of the franchise, including me. However, I thought it was still a pretty solid romp.

It definitely may not be as ground-breaking as the first two, but it has enjoyable set-pieces that satisfied me.

Rating: 7/10

Terminator Genisys - With the trailers not showing much promise, it actually was solid popcorn fun. Most importantly, it was not the worst of the series.

The story was ambitious and I think it will upset a lot of the hardcore fans. But I felt it was as good as it could have been with the people who were involved. This franchise remains nothing without James Cameron.

Rating: 7/10